1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for preventing the transmission of unsolicited phone calls.
2. Related Art
Receiving unsolicited phone calls is a problem many people wish to avoid. Attempts have been made to reduce the quantity of unsolicited phone calls, but these have not been effective. Some methods include the burdensome step of requiring the caller to input the telephone number from which the caller is calling from every time a call is made. The inputted number is then compared with numbers on a list and a determination is made as to whether or not the call should be accepted. Other systems require the caller to input a password every time a call is placed.
Electronic devices, such as caller ID devices, have been developed to allow a user to identify the source of an incoming call. However, even with such devices, when the user receives an unwanted call, the user is inconvenienced by the telephone ringing and must go to and view the electronic device and then decide whether or not to take the telephone call.
According to the invention, a method for preventing the transmission of unsolicited phone calls is provided which is effective while minimizing the burden on callers.
In accordance with a first embodiment of the invention, a method for preventing the transmission of unsolicited phone calls is provided which comprises the steps of: interrupting a telephone call from a source to a user; processing available information to identify a source telephone number corresponding to the source of the call with an electronic identification means; comparing the source telephone number with a reject list of telephone numbers with an electronic comparison means; playing a recorded message indicating that the user does not wish to accept calls from the source of the call when the source telephone number is on the reject list; comparing the source telephone number with an approved list of telephone numbers with an electronic comparison means; allowing the telephone call to pass from the source to the user when the source telephone number is on the approved list; requesting that the source of the call complete a registration process when the source telephone number is not on either one of the reject list and the approved list; and updating the approved list by adding the source telephone number to the approved list and allowing the telephone call to pass from the source to the user when the source properly completes the registration process.
In a preferred embodiment, the registration process comprises entering a password. Advantageously the password is entered via a touch tone keypad on a telephone or is entered verbally and analyzed through a voice recognition procedure.
The method for preventing the transmission of unsolicited phone calls preferably includes the steps of: requesting that the source indicate whether the call is an emergency when the source telephone number is not on either one of the reject list and the approved list or when the source cannot be identified with the electronic identification means; and causing the user""s telephone to ring in a distinctive manner to indicate that the source has indicated that the call is an emergency when the source indicates that the call is an emergency.
In another preferred implementation, the method for preventing the transmission of unsolicited phone calls further includes the steps of: requesting the source to indicate whether the call is an emergency when the source telephone number is not on either one of the reject list and the approved list or when the source telephone number cannot be identified with the electronic identification means; and playing a message to the user indicating that the call is an emergency when the source indicates that the call is an emergency.
The method for preventing the transmission of unsolicited phone calls preferably allows the source to leave a message when the source telephone number is on the reject list or when the source does not properly complete the registration process.
Other features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in, or apparent from, the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention.